Best Baby Shampoos

Hadassah Alencar

About the Author

Hadassah Alencar is a freelance writer for What To Expect and AskMen.com. She is a stay-at-home mom who loves to cook, write and play with her little ones.

About the Blog

WhatToExpect.com supports Word of Mom as a place to share stories and highlight the many perspectives and experiences of pregnancy and parenting. However, the opinions expressed in this section are those of individual writers and do not reflect the views of Heidi Murkoff of the What to Expect brand.

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Every day, parents set out to have a great — and inevitably, messy — bath time with their little ones. For some, this is an easy experience; some babies take to water like fish and love the opportunity to play with their bath toys and get wet. For others, bath time could not be over sooner. No matter what reaction your baby has, bath time is an important task to check off your daily parenting list — and a gentle, hard-working shampoo makes for a much more pleasant experience.

As a parent, you want to carefully look at the label and do your best to find something that's healthy for your baby's skin while still leaving them squeaky clean. But since no two baby shampoos are alike, finding the perfect match for your baby can be daunting in a sea of choices. So what should you look for?

What To Look For

Keep an eye out for brands that boast all-natural ingredients and baby-safe formulas designed to soothe sensitive skin.

Made with naturally moisturizing ingredients, such as calendula or coconut oil

Made for sensitive skin

Tear-free formula

What to Avoid

Shampoos with harsh chemicals or ones with ingredients that could possibly harm or affect your baby, like:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)

Parabens

Phthalates

Excessive fragrance

We Recommend

Weleda Baby Shampoo

Why We Love It: The moisturizing calendula extract makes this shampoo a winner. Weleda's two-in-one baby shampoo and body wash is one of the most popular baby shampoo brands — and for a great reason. They've thought of just about anything — from being formulated by dermatologists and midwives to using calendula grown in biodynamic fair-trade gardens, Weleda is a sure shot. Their shampoo is free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates and mineral oils, instead containing natural oils such coconut and sesame to moisturize your baby’s skin as it cleans. This special formula is also tear-free and is lightly scented with essential oils, leaving you with a happy and clean-smelling baby who’s ready for some snuggles and bedtime.$7.75 at Amazon.com

Johnson's Baby Shampoo

Why We Love It: This popular brand has been around for what seems like forever — and for good reason. The Johnson's Baby Shampoo is a classic brand that seems to evoke instant nostalgia. It was the shampoo our grandmothers and mothers used, and they knew what they were doing: Johnson’s head-to-toe baby wash is the currently the No. 1 baby shampoo in hospitals in the U.S. The brand even claims its trusted paraben-free, phthalate-free, “no more tears” formula is as gentle as water on a baby’s eyes.$5.62 at Amazon.com

Honest Shampoo And Body Wash

Why We Love It: It's safe and effective for baby — and the whole family. Jessica Alba, actress and mother, founded the Honest Company with a mission to make safe and effective wellness products for families just like hers. Every product has an impressive repertoire of organic and naturally based ingredients. The two-in-one Honest Shampoo and Body Wash is a hypoallergenic, plant-based cleanser made with a moisturizing blend of aloe, chamomile and calendula. The tear-free formula features a tongue-twisting list of what it doesn’t include: SLS, sulfates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, formaldehyde donors, MEA, DEA or TEA.$8.54 at Amazon.com

Burt's Bees Baby Shampoo

Why We Love It: Its all-natural, plant-based formula is safe for all babies. Since its humble beginnings in 1984, Burt’s Bees has gone on to become the cornerstone brand of natural products we know today. The idea behind their products is simple: What you put on your body should be made from the best nature has to offer, and the Burt’s Bees Baby Shampoo is just that. The tear-free concoction earns a 99.9% natural stamp due to its plant-based formula, which uses soy proteins to get your baby all cleaned up. This pediatrician-tested shampoo is made without phthalates, parabens, petrolatum or SLS, for a squeaky-clean shampoo and body wash every parent can feel good about using.$19.21 at Amazon.com

Aquaphor Baby Wash And Shampoo

Why We Love It: It's a gentle and mild shampoo that's ideal for sensitive skin. Aquaphor baby wash and shampoo is perfect for babies with extremely sensitive skin who need a milder shampoo and wash. This shampoo was specifically designed for babies with sensitive and/or dry skin, and can help your bundle of joy bounce back to healthy skin. The extra mild and tear-free formula has been clinically-proven to be gentle on baby's skin, and is preservative- and fragrance-free, so it won't cause any irritation. In addition, the chamomile and provitamin B5 help to soothe skin, while simultaneously moisturizing and protecting it. $8.33 at Amazon.com

Aveeno Baby Wash & Shampoo

Why We Love It: This creamy, oat-based lather intensely moisturizes dry skin. Known for its signature formula made with natural oat extract and rich lather, Aveeno Baby is a classic go-to shampoo your baby will love. This tear-free, hypoallergenic formula effectively cleans while simultaneously moisturizing your baby’s skin. Aveeno is also soap-free, which helps to achieve a formula that's appropriate for sensitive skin and that can gently cleanse without drying your baby’s skin. Top it off with a light scent that will leave your baby smelling fresh and clean, and it's not hard to understand why parents reach for Aveeno baby during bath time.$7.44 at Amazon.com

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